Closure for battery box covers



March 14, 1944.

R. REPPERT CLOSURE FOR BATTERY BOX COVERS Filed April 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l a4 be VINVENTOR iz 44 0 FEPPQPT March 14, 1944. R. REPPERT CLOSURE FOR BATTERY BOX COVERS Filed April 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 14, 1944 I otosnmi non Bas line- U Q Q ,Roland keppertyrelhamM nri assi ncr,

toAmL i an Ha d Rubber compan 1 Y acorporation of New Xork A pplication April .10, 1941,'sena.in.357.831

' '2 Claims. (o Isa-'17s) The invention "relates to an improvementin closure devices forbattery box covers. Such devices are so constructed that when in one conditionthey permit the introduction of liquid into the battery box up to a predetermined level only by preventing the escape of gases from thebattery box as the liquid therein reaches a predetermined level, and when in another condition they permit the escape otgases therefrom, but prevent the introduction of liquid into the bat-' tery box. The closure device of the present invention is of the class in which a vent-controlling valve is actuated bya vent capadapte'd to be screwed into the battery box cover. When the cap is in closed position on the cover the valve is moved by the cap to open or vent-uncovering position, and when the cap is removed from the "cover the valve moves to closed position cov ering the vent. I H

The general objectof the invention is to'improve the construction of closure devices of this character so as to give assurance that the liquid introduced into the battery box can riseto a predetermined level only and that when the bat tery is in use, the gases formed thereby 'will free- 1y escape. A more specific object of the invention is to construct the valveportion of the device in suchmanner that it can, wheriin a cer tain position, be readily removed from the bat-v tery box cover, whereas in all other positions it can not be removed from the battery box cover. A further object of the invention is to construct the valve with relation to the under surface of the battery box cover so that when the valve is removed from the cover and the battery-box turned up-side down, all the contents of the-batter-v box will pour out through the relatively large hole normally occupied by the valve. :To' the accomplishment of these ends, the invention consists in the improved battery box hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the appended claims. I In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 1 is a trans verse section through a battery box cover show ing the application of the improved closure device thereto, the vent cap being in closed position holding the valve so as to uncover the vent; Fig. 2 is a view similar'to that of Fig. 1, but without the vent cap, thereby permitting the valve to move to vent-closing position; Fig. :3 isv a top plan view of the valve seat; Fig. .4 is a trans? verse section takenon the line 4=-.4 orFig. 1; Fig. "5 is a bottom plan view of the vent cap; Fig.6

is a view corresponding to Fig; 1, .of a modified 65.

form of the invention; Fig; -7 is a view similar to Figffi but with the vent cap removed. Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 89-8 of Fig.1; and Fig 9 is a'bottom plan view of the ventca x 'I"he improved closure devicefor battery box covers comprises anjannular' valve member have ing-depending from-the inner edge of its'under. or working surface a'tube the lower end of which determines the height to whlchthe electrolyte shall rise in the batter box. The working sure face of 'thevalve cooperates with an annular valve seatforinedin the bottom of a filler well in the top wall 'of'ythe battery box cover and surrounding a filler-opening piercing the top wall. The valve tub is docated in the filler opening and issmalier in diameter than the filler opening so thatthe two are separated by an annular vent space. When the'val-ve is'sated against the valve seal; it closes'the-annular vent space so that liquid introduced into the battery box risesto only the level determined byv the'lower end 01 the valv tube. The under working surface of the valve and the. valve seat have between them cooperatin Portions constituting a fulcrum edge upon which the valve can be tilted to uncover-the annular vent space. Th fulcrum edge may be located either on the working surface of the valve 'or-pn the valve seat. When the vent cap isin place :on the battery box cover it engage with and tilts the valve .on the inicru'm edge so .aslto uncover the annular vent space to permit the esca of" gase formed our ing' the operation of the battery.

- The closure device embodied in the form of the invention shownin Figs. .1 to 5 comprises an annular valve member"? the under surface .of which cooperates with an inclined annular valve seat fl ior-med as apar.t.-or the t p wall 9 t t battery box cover; generally 'indicated at 1.0. 'In the uppermost vpoint of the inclined valve seat 8 is formed a notch ii, the outeredge (:3 .of which terminates short of the periphery of thevalve seat, indicat d at U in andwhich in eflect t es a mile-rum e ge on which t e valve pivots or tilts to open closed positions 555:.- yond-the edge 1.4 the upper wall ii of the batte y box-cover is formed as a horizontal ledge 1.1,. Extending d wnward y :from th inner dge of the annular valve :1 is a valve tube I5 having a filling opening 16 .therethmush- The valve t be 1 5 normally occupies the fillercpcning i3 9111 d in the cover wall. .8 andsurroundeg by th seat :8. :When thebattery box cover is in .condition to permit. the introduction or liquid intoand the uppermost point of the under surface of the lower end of the valve tube=determines the height to which the electrolyte in the battery box rises when liquid is introducedinto it'through ,8,by alim'ng the stop lug 32 with the notch I2 and the lug 32 passes below the under surface of the valve seat 8, the valve 1 is turned to a posithe valve tube I5. In this position ofthe'fvalve. v I

' It will'thus' be understood that the valve 1 cannot and tube, the under surface of the portion 34 of the margin of the valve overlaps the horizon -1:

tal ledge I I, and is separated from it by a wedgeshaped opening 36. Rising from the top wall 9 .of ,the battery; .box cover substantially concentrically with the valve seat 8.is. an internally threaded neck 2I which forms the filler well. A vent cap 22 provided with a hollow extension 24 is adapted to screw into the internally-threaded neck 2|, to engage-with 2.1.ldlII1OVB. the valve! from the closed position shown in Fig. 2 to the open positionv shown in Fig. 1-, by contacting with. the. portion 34; oflthe valve margin and pivoting the valve on-the fulcrum edge I:4.,

The threaded downwardextension 24 of the vent cap 22 is provided with a splash plate 26 having. event openings- 21, at itsppposite edges. In the top of. the. cap 22 is a vent hole- 28.; The lower edgeof; the tubular threadedportion 24 of the vent cap. is provided with radially arranged ventpgrooves 29.1 a result ;cf. this arrange ment,- when the closure :deviceis in the condition shown in Fig.4, with the vent cap 22 holding the valve 31 open. position,- gases accumulating in the: gas-receiving-chamber I8 pass upward-1y throughthe-notch. I2;into the opening 80 surrounding theg-upper end of,.the valve .tube I5; thence through thegro oves 2.9 into. the lower'end of :the tubularportionof thevent cap,; thence through the openings. 2'! ;and out-through the venthole28. It is desirableduring the-operation. of charge ing the battery plates that the spent :electrolyte may be emptied: from, the battery-box in the shortestpossible:time. Thisis .provided. for in the device of the present invention by attaching the downwardly extending tube I5 (one point of the lower end of which determines the predetermined level of the electrolyte) to the va ve 1, so that when it is necessary toempty outthe spent electrolyte all .-,the. -electr,olyte contained in the battery box. will-pass out *through'the :opening I I normally occupied, by,. the. valve tube I5. Accordingly, when this step islnecessary, the re-. moval of-the valve' l fromthe batterybox cover brings with itthe-valve tube I5, .therebyleaving unimpededthe relativelyxlargeopening :I'I previously occupied by the'valve tube I5. for the passage'of the electrolyte; I v1 However, it is undesirable to have an arrangement by'whichtlie valve 1} may be accidentally removed from the. 'valveopening in thebattery box" cover. According to the present invention removal of the valve "I from 'the batterywi box cover, except when it is to be purposely removed, is prevented by providing the outer surface of the lower end of the valve tube I5 with a-stoplug' 32 which Isslightlyless in width-and in depth-than tion out of alinement with the notch I2, preferably to a position under the lowermost point .'oftliej iva lveseat 8', as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

be removed from-the battery box cover until the operator turns it to position in which the stop lug 32' is in alinement with the notch I2. Having arrived at this position the operator straightens the valve out to perpendicular position after which the valvemay be raised and the stoplug 32 pass through the notch I2. The mode of operation of the improvedclosure device for battery box covers is briefly as follows; It is assumed that the battery box cover is in the condition shown in Fig. l, which is the normal operating condition of the closuredevice with relation to the battery, so that the gases given off from the electrolyte will escape through the notch I2 into the opening 38, thence through the vent grooves 29, through the notches 21 and out through the vent hole 28. If now more liquid is required in the battery box, the operator removes the cap 22 from the battery box cover, whereupon the valve 'Lpivoting on the fulcrum I4, and valve tube I5 will fall to the position shown in Fig. 2, with the under surface of the annularvalve I in complete contact with the'annulaninclined valve seat 8,vthereby preventing escape of gas from the chamber I8 when the electrolyte has reached the point 28 of the valve tube I5, during the introduction of liquid into thebattery box through the opening I6 in the tube. When the operator notes that the liquid reaches the upper end of the valve tube opening I6 he knows that the liquid in the battery box has reached the predetermined level I9, He then screws the vent cap 22 into the threaded neck 2| of the battery box cover until the under surface of the annular portion 24 of the vent cap contacts with the upper surface of the marginal portion 34 of the valve 1 overlapping the'horizontal ledge I I. The distance between the under surface 38 of the lower end of the annular portion 24 of the vent capand the under surface 35 of the top part ofthe vent cap is such with relation ,to. the wedge-shaped space 36 between the under urface of the overlapping margin 34 of the valve and the horizontal ledge II that when the under surface 35 of the head of the cap 22 contacts with the upper edge 3'I of the annular neck 2|, the valve 1 is raised intothe horizontal positionshown in Fig. l. a I When charging the plates of the battery at the plant of the manufacturer, the cap 221s removed, the valve turned until the stoplug 32 is in alinement with the notch I2, thereby?permitting the valve and valve tube I5 to be straightened out and removed from the battery box cover. The battery box may then be turned up side down and all the liquid thereinwill escape through the relatively large opening I! normally occupied by the valve tube I5.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 9 comprises an annular valve member 40 the under or working surface 4| of which cooperates with an annular valve seat 42 formed on the inner edge of the annular horizontal ledge 43 surrounding the filler opening 44. Rising from the top wall 45 of the battery box cover 46 concentric with the filler opening 44 is an internally threaded neck 41 which receives the externally threaded tubular part 48 of the vent cap 50. Extending downwardly from the inner edge of the annular valve 40 is a valve tube 5| having a filler opening 52 extending therethrough. The filler opening 44 is slightly larger in diameter than the external diameter of the valve tube 5| so that the latter may move freely back and forth to the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 7. On the lower outside edge of the valve tube 5| is a stop lug 53 which is alined with the recess 54 cut in the valve seat 42 when the tube 5| is to be inserted in or removed from the hole 44. These parts function the same as the corresponding parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In order that the valve 4!] may be moved from closed position sealing the filler opening 44 and 1 circular fulcrum edge on which the valve may be tilted to move the valve from closed to open position. The means for tilting the valve from closed to open position is a lug 65 extending downwardly from the lower end of the tubular part 48 of the vent cap 50, at a radial distance beyond the periphery 56 of the valve, so that when the lug engages with and presses downwardly on any point on the valve rim 55, the valve will be tilted, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby uncovering the annular space of the opening 44 surrounding the valve tube 5| to permit the escape of gases therethrough.

I claim:

1. In combination, a battery box cover having a threaded neck rising therefrom and surrounding a valve seat immediately outside of a filler opening, a valve member having an under sealing surface for overlying said valve seat to seal against the passage of gas through the valve and an upper surface coextensive with said valve seat and in part extending outwardly of the area of said valve seat, a tube extending downwardly from the inner edge of said valve member, said tube having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of said valve seat to provide annular clearance between the tube and valve seat for venting the space under said cover when the valve member is rocked from its seat and which allows for lateral play of the valve member over its seat, a vent cap having a depending portion with threads for engaging said threaded neck and an under portion with a surface outside of and greater than the cooperating valve areas but lying within the outer rim of said valve member whereby the valve member may be rocked from its closed position on the valve seat when downward pressure is exerted on the upper surface of the rim of the valve member at a point radially beyond the sealing surface of the valve seat, and vent openings in the under portion of said depending portion to provide for the venting of gas between said under portion of the vent cap and the upper surface of said valve member when the valve member is rocked and raised from the valve seat by engagement with the under portion of said vent cap outside of the cooperating valve areas.

2. The combination of a battery box cover including a top wall having an annular valve seat on an inclined plane surrounding an opening through the wall in which is a radially projecting notch terminating short of the periphery of the valve seat and a threaded neck rising from the wall surrounding the valve seat, with a valve member consisting of an annular valve adapted in one position to seat against the valve seat and close the opening through the wall, said valve having a downwardly extending tube projecting through the opening in the wall, the wall being provided beyond the uppermost point of the inclined valve seat with a horizontal ledge which is overlapped by the outer margin of the valve, and a vent cap having a downwardly extending threaded annular part adapted to be screwed into the threaded neck of the cover and contact with that portion of the margin of the valve extending over the horizontal ledge so as to bring the under surface of the contacted margin of the valve against the horizontal ledge and thereby lift the valve from the valve seat, the lower surface of the annular portion of the vent cap being provided with radial vent grooves.

ROLAND REPPERT. 

